


Why would they be jealous?

by teaspoonbooks27



Series: Overheard [1]
Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Gilan and Will are basically brothers, everyone is jealous of Will and he has no clue, gilan WILL protect Will at all costs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:15:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29115870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teaspoonbooks27/pseuds/teaspoonbooks27
Summary: Will over hears some rangers talking about him in a less than flattering way at a gathering. Gilan takes care of it like the good big brother he is.
Relationships: Gilan & Will Treaty, Halt O'Carrick & Will Treaty
Series: Overheard [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188929
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	Why would they be jealous?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maeve_Lynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_Lynn/gifts).



> This was written for the discord anniversary exchange for Mel! Hope you all enjoy. 
> 
> Trigger Warning: vague suggestions of rape/non-con. Nothing happens.

Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius

  * Fulton J. Sheen 



Will was not accustom to people being jealous of him. He was an orphan, left at the ward as an infant. Growing up he was alway the smallest, and despite the comforting words of his caretakers, he did not hit a growth spurt at 10, or 12, not even at 15. Will was denied a knights apprenticeship. Halt had chosen him as a ranger’s apprentice, something he would learn to realize is exactly what he was destined to do, but most people were wary of rangers. The simple commoners believed them to be evil sorcerers, who had dark and dangerous otherworldly abilities. Those who were better educated might not believe the folk tales surrounding rangers, but they still crossed the road if they saw a ranger approaching. Ranger’s keep to themselves, mystic was a cloak just as useful as the gray and green one they wear, and their mysterious tendencies made them a target for speculation. Rumors and hearsay surrounded them, ensuring that practically no one wants the title of “Ranger”. And those who do often found themselves either as a ranger, or being hunted by one. So it wasn’t until Will was well into his apprenticeship that he would even be noticed enough for someone to envy him, and at that point, he was too occupied with his apprenticeship to notice when young boys would stare at him as he passed, or the way young men would puff out their chests and give him a look that said, what is so special about him? I could do what he does. It wasn’t until Will had graduated that he had to deal with the ugliness of jealousy being aimed towards himself.

Will knows that it isn’t fair to eavesdrop on his fellow Rangers. It’s just that Will was so accustomed to moving silently in the shadows, that sometimes he forgot to turn it off, and he didn’t intend to overhear the conversation of the group of four rangers who were sitting around a fire. He was just passing by when he heard his name mentioned. And while Will had a lot of self control, no one has enough to pass by a conversation that seem to be about themselves.

“What do you think of Halt’s boy, Treaty?” One of the men, Ranger Donovan, asked the group.

“That boy has grown too full of himself. He thinks he’s something special. The only special thing about him is that he managed to get Halt to take pity on him.” Ranger Hawthorn barked.

The other men grumbled in agreement. Ranger Lee cleared his throat to speak, and Will hoped that he might stand up for him, or at the very least change the conversation. Will and Lee had gotten along well during this gathering. They often ate at the same table and Lee had even asked Will to watch his apprentice during an archery practice and give the boy some advice. Will’s hope drowned though when he heard what Lee had to say.

“He acts all high and mighty, consulting with Halt and Crowley as if he were on the same level they are. I’ve been a ranger longer than that boy has known how to walk, and yet he is they one they have assessing the apprentices, he is the one they send off on important assignments.” Lee spits at the ground and scoffs.

“If I didn’t know better I’d say there is a reason that Treaty is getting special treatment.” Donovan said.

“What kind of reason?” Ranger Ben asked. Ben was the youngest of the group, he was probably only a few years older than Will, and had stayed silent up until now. He wasn’t accustomed to rangers talking so negatively of each other.

Donovan ignores Ben, instead turning his attention to Lee and Hawthorn, “Halt and Treaty are very close. Closer than any of us have ever been with our apprentices. Maybe Halt found a skinny orphan that no body cared about and groomed him into-”

Will’s stomach was rolling and he put his hands over his ears. He knew that if anyone saw him he would look very childish, hunched over, trying to block about the voices by the fire, but he didn’t care. He was disgusted at Donovan’s implications and simultaneously wanted to run far away and show all of them exactly how skill he was with his bow. Before he could do either, he heard a familiar voice.

“If you would like to keep the ability to speak, you will shut up right now.”

Will looked back over to where the men were gathered around the fire. But this time there was a fifth figure standing next to them. Gilan. Will sighed a breath of relief. Then a deep blush rose on his cheeks, Gilan had apparently heard what Donovan had been suggesting.

“I don’t know what why you think you have the right to imply such repulsive things, but let me make one thing perfectly clear. Halt would never take advantage of a child in his care. And if I ever hear any of you say otherwise, I will personally make sure that you are removed from the corps.” Gilan’s voice was low and measured, it sounded as though he was holding back the flood gates.

Ben looked terrified and Gilan found it hard to believe that Ben had much to do with any of this. The ranger was quiet and polite, his biggest flaw was his need to be accepted. Which is most likely why he remained in the company of the older rangers when the conversation took a nasty turn. Lee and Hawthorn had the decency to look at least somewhat ashamed, Donovan however, look furious. He stood and stepped toward Gilan. Gilan was taller (he was taller than all of the rangers in the corps), but Donovan was thick with muscle and probably had nearly 40 pounds on Gilan. Will knew that Gilan could handle himself, but his hand still instinctively floated down to the hilt of his throwing knife. Just in case.

“Why do you care what we say about Treaty?” Donovan said.

Gilan leaned closer to Donovan ever so slightly. “He is my brother, that’s why.” Then Gilan turned and left. Will also took his leave, nothing good would come from remaining where he was.

The conversation between Donovan, Lee, and Hawthorn had infuriated Gilan. When he first left the men he wanted to go straight to Crowley. Crowley was almost as defensive of Will as Gilan was. They both saw greatness in Will that he couldn’t see in himself. And since Will was practically Halt’s son, that made Gilan and Crowley his protective big brother and uncle. He had actually made it to the front of Crowley tent before stopping himself. Gilan figured it would be best to check in with Will before he involved Crowley. If anyone had said or done anything to Will, Gilan knew that he wouldn’t say anything. He would just try to sweep it under the rug and move on. He wasn’t one to draw attention to himself or cause a stir. Gilan, on the other hand, had zero qualms with making a scene if it meant justice would be delivered. And justice was necessary. Rangers should be united, and rumors such as the ones Donovan was spewing were dangerous.

Gilan didn’t see Will until dinner that night. He had looked for him, but if the young ranger didn’t want to be found, he made sure that he wasn’t. By the time Gilan had entered the dining tent, Will was already seated at a table alone, moving his food around his plate, but never bringing his fork to his mouth. Gilan felt something in his stomach sink. Something was wrong. Will never sat alone during meals at the gathering. In fact, just yesterday Will had said to Gilan that he was almost never alone during any part of the gathering. He was always followed by young apprentices with stars in their eyes, or by those who wanted to see what kind of ranger Halt’s small, wide eyed apprentice had turned out to be. So seeing Will alone, in a dark corner of the tent was unusual and alarming. Passing by the line to get a plate of food, Gilan made his way across the room to Will.

“Will-” Gilan started as he took a seat on the other side of the table, but he was cut off before he could finish.

“I was there. I was passing by in the woods when I heard them. I should have just keep on walking. I shouldn’t have listened. But I did.” Will’s voice knocked Gilan off guard for a moment. It was so small and lonely, it made Gilan remember just how young Will really was.

“You need to know that Donovan and the others are just jealous Will. They’re words don’t mean anything.”

“Jealous? Jealous of what Gil? Of an oraphan boy that no one wanted? Or of a druggie slave would had to be rescued by the crown princess? Maybe they are jealous of the ranger who can’t stand his assignment because he hates being alone? Yeah, there is a lot to be jealous of.” Will scoffed.

Gilan sighed, he hadn’t realize that Will was this blind to what everyone else saw in him. “No Will. They are jealous of your natural abilities. They are jealous of what a genuinely good man you are. They know that you will become the best ranger the corps have ever seen.”

Will rolls his eyes but Gilan continues, “Will, men like that know that no matter how hard they work, or train, no matter how much experience they have, they will never be what you are. They will never be remarkable Will. And they don’t know how to accept that. So they try to find fault in you when there isn’t any.”

“But I’m not remarkable Gil. I’m not anything special.”

“Yes you are Will. You may not realize it today. You may never see it, but everyone else around you can. And unfortunately that makes you a target. But you cannot let them get in your head. Just keep being you Will. That is all you need to do.”

The two rangers sat in silence for a while. Gilan knew that Will had to process everything he had just said, and there wasn’t any point in trying to bring up discussing the matter with Crowley until Will was ready.

“Please don’t tell Halt about any of this.” Will said, breaking the silence.

“Will, he won’t think any less of you.”

“I know. I just don’t want this to get out to everyone. And I don’t want Halt to know what Donovan said about him.”

Gilan thought about it. He should tell Halt. Gilan knew that his former mentor would lose it if he heard about what happened, and Gilan wanted a front row seat to the confrontation that would end with Donovan, Lee, and Hawthorn bleeding on the ground, or swimming in a moat, or both. But Will had a right to want to control the matter. The implications that they made were revolting, and they would hurt Halt, even if he acted like they didn’t. And Will had a valid point about not wanting others to find out about what was said. If Halt went ballistic on the men it was only a matter of time before word got around about what had been said about Halt and Will.

“Fine, we won’t tell Halt. But we do need to tell Crowley.”

Will began to protest, but Gilan put his hand up to stop him.

“You may not be Halt’s apprentice anymore, but Crowley is our Commandant, he needs to know what is going on. We will tell him together, and we will ask him to keep it to himself. I’m not negotiating on this Will. Crowley needs to know.”

“Crowley needs to know what?”

Both rangers turn to see the man in question standing by their table. Will turned his attention back to Gilan.

Gilan nods, “Go ahead Will. Tell him. It’s just us.”

And Will tells Crowley everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think and come say hi on Tumblr at forgedroyalseal


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